It barely garnered any attention, but the Greens motion to disallow the Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 was defeated by LNP and Labor in a strong show of bipartisanship (proof they can actually cooperate).

Now SA just needs the Greens motion to disallow regulations that would lift the moratorium on mainland South Australia to be defeated next week - there is a strong reliance on the SA Best vote, which on paper suggests they would be in favour of the science, but minor parties can be unpredictable.

Q. wrote:It barely garnered any attention, but the Greens motion to disallow the Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 was defeated by LNP and Labor in a strong show of bipartisanship (proof they can actually cooperate).

Now SA just needs the Greens motion to disallow regulations that would lift the moratorium on mainland South Australia to be defeated next week - there is a strong reliance on the SA Best vote, which on paper suggests they would be in favour of the science, but minor parties can be unpredictable.

Did you just call the Leon Byner Program regarding the above?

So you've seen everything have you?YepHave you ever seen a man eat his own head?NoWell you haven't seen everything then have you.

DOC wrote:Angus Taylor. now the subject of a Police investigation for the doctored documents regarding Clover Moores travel costs.

Despite this very clear standard:

The PM’s “Statement of Ministerial Standards” Clause 7:1 “...a Minister should stand aside if that Minister becomes the subject of an official investigation of alleged illegal or improper conduct.”

The PM has said that he does not need to stand aside. He is off to Spain in a week for an UN Climate Conference.

No point in having the standards then.

Mr Morrison rejected calls to stand Mr Taylor aside, telling Federal Parliament he had spoken with NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller who told him the "nature and substance" of inquiries were based solely on the allegations referred to them last month by shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus.

Imagine if he made him stand aside. There would be Police complaints made by the Opposition about every minister regardless of which side is in government.

The bigger point in this affair is that it calls into serious question the judgments of Taylor and Morrison. Taylor should've ignored the temptation to criticise Clover Moore, and Morrison shouldn't have called the police commissioner.

"Religion is like a blind man looking in a black room for a black cat that isn't there...and finding it." - Oscar Wilde

And, the Police Commissioner should have replied like you would to all third parties, and not commented on the investigation.

For him to do so is poor judgement. For the PM to say in parliament that of course he would ring the Commissioner, who else would he ring (mmmm perhaps the investigating officer?) is even poorer judgement. May not have been intended but to do so but the call itself compromises police independence (learnt perhaps from the Peter Dutton school of visa grants) and puts into question the legitimacy of any findings.

DOC wrote:And, the Police Commissioner should have replied like you would to all third parties, and not commented on the investigation.

For him to do so is poor judgement. For the PM to say in parliament that of course he would ring the Commissioner, who else would he ring (mmmm perhaps the investigating officer?) is even poorer judgement. May not have been intended but to do so but the call itself compromises police independence (learnt perhaps from the Peter Dutton school of visa grants) and puts into question the legitimacy of any findings.

To be honest, there's nothing to see here. ScoMo's got God on his side, and apparently he votes Liberal.

"Religion is like a blind man looking in a black room for a black cat that isn't there...and finding it." - Oscar Wilde

Q. wrote:It barely garnered any attention, but the Greens motion to disallow the Gene Technology Amendment (2019 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2019 was defeated by LNP and Labor in a strong show of bipartisanship (proof they can actually cooperate).

Now SA just needs the Greens motion to disallow regulations that would lift the moratorium on mainland South Australia to be defeated next week - there is a strong reliance on the SA Best vote, which on paper suggests they would be in favour of the science, but minor parties can be unpredictable.

Almost $22 billion has been wiped from the forecast budget surpluses for this and the next three financial years due to revenues plummeting by almost $33 billion on the back of a slowing economy.

The mid-year budget update reveals growth forecasts for wages and the economy have also been drastically downgraded, as has consumption, which creates a major headache for the states.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg put a positive spin on the result saying it still showed the economy was expected to grow faster than any nation in the G7.

"The Australian economy's remarkable resilience has occurred in the face of strong global and domestic economic headwinds," the treasurer said.

"Despite these challenges, MYEFO demonstrates that the Australian economy continues to grow with the budget returning to surplus for the first time in 12 years."

The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) forecasts that state government GST revenue will fall by $9.9 billion over four years, including $1.8 billion this year.

The update shows that the budget is still forecast to return to surplus his financial year and beyond but the $45.1 billion in cumulative surpluses over four years predicted in the last budget update, released during the election campaign, have been downgraded by $21.6 billion and now tally $23.5 billion.

The surplus forecast for this year of $7.1 billion has been revised down to $5 billion. Next year’s forecast of $11 billion has been revised down to $6.1 billion, while the $17.8 billion for 2021-22 is now $8.4 billion.

These nubers are underpinned by spending being $1.4 billion lower for ths financial year and $11.5 billion over the four years.

The decline is due to forecast revenues plunging $32.6 billion over the four year budget period, including by $3 billion this year.

The revenue falls have been driven by declines in superannuation taxes, GST, company taxes, and income taxes.

As predicted, growth forecasts for wages and GDP have been scaled back in just a matter of months.

The update shows GDP for this year has been downgraded from 2.75 per cent to 2.25 per cent. The forecast for next financial year stays unchanged at 2.75 per cent.

Nominal GDP, which is a measure of national income, is unchanged for this year at 3.25 per cent but plunges next year from 3.75 per cent to 2.25 per cent. This was due largely to a revised fall in coal prices.

Wage growth forecasts also plunge from 2.75 per cent this financial year to 2.25 per cent and next year, falls from 3.25 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

Unemployment forecast for this year and next has risen from 5.2 per cent to 5.25 per cent. The MYEFO puts a positive spin on the outlook.

“Australia’s economy continues to show resilience in the face of weak momentum in the global economy, as well as domestic challenges such as the devastating effects of drought and bushfires,’’ it says.

The MYEFO does not take into account a possible breakthrough in the US-China trade war or Boris Johnson's election victory signalling an end to Brexit uncertainty.

"Let's just wait and see what happens from here,'' Mr Frydenberg said.

Despite the sharp falls in wages, the government claims they will still grow faster than inflation.

"While wage growth and inflation have both been revised downwards, wages are forecast to increase at 2.5 per cent this year and next which is above the forecast for the rate of inflation," the treasurer told reporters on Monday.

He said the states had already taken into account the plunge in GST in their own budget updates.

The MYEFO shows company tax receipts have been downgraded by $700 million for this year and $7.9 billion over the forward estimates. Downgrades to corporate profit forecasts are the cause, driven by lower terms of trade.

Super taxes are forecast to fall by $1.6 billion over four years.

Overall, in this financial year, total tax receipts are down $2.6 billion and non-tax receipts are down by more than $400 million, since the election campaign update.

The budget update contained no substantive new spending, other than reconciling that which has already been announced since the election, thus confirming a pledge by Scott Morrison that he would not be "panicked" into bringing forward stimulus, despite numerous demands.

New stimulus measures, such as a business investment allowance as already flagged by Mr Frydenberg, will be contained in the May 12 budget.

Expenditure reconciled on Monday includes $537 million for more aged care home care packages, $3.8 billion in fast-tracked infrastructure spending and $550 million extra in drought assistance.

The last budget surplus was delivered in 2007-08, a year in which the Coalition governed for the first five months and Labor for the successive seven months.

"With the government's economic plan delivering continued economic growth and a stronger budget position, MYEFO demonstrates that we have the capacity and the flexibility to invest in the areas that the public need most," the treasuer said.